City negotiates big reduction in commercial solid waste fees in Marble Falls
By Glynis Crawford Smith
The Highlander
The Marble Falls City Council on Tuesday, June 20, approved a five-year extension of the solid waste and recycling contract with Republic Services that included good news for Marble Falls customers, especially those in the commercial category.
“Under the terms negotiated between the city and Republic, once per week residential service will continue at the same cost ($16.52 per month) for two years of this five-year agreement,” said Margie Cardenas, city finance director.. “Future price adjustments of three percent could be petitioned in the final three years of the contract with council approval.”
Recycling services will continue at the $3.30 per month cost, to include a 95-gallon bin pick up every other week, as opposed to the current 18-gallon, once-per-week pick up. Customers will be able to add a second container at no cost.
“Commercial trash pick up is the big news,” said Cardenas.
The cost of commercial pick up of 95-gallon containers will be reduced 44 percent. from $30.60 per month to $17 per month. Commercial customer cost for temporary roll-off containers for construction and similar activities will see a 3.5 percent reduction on the current rate.
For the first time in October, commercial customers will have an every-other-week recycling option for $12 per month.
As to the current blue totes for recycling, Republic Services hopes customers will turn them in, according to Dwight Batch, who attended the meeting to provide the company's quarterly report.
“We will be offering recycling to the school district at no cost and we want to put those containers in each classroom to start a recycling program with them,” he said.
In his report to the council, Batch said Marble Falls has been consistently one of the higher participants in Republic Services recycling. The amounts vary, but in the last quarter about three tons of mixed recyclables—paper, cardboard, plastics and aluminum—were picked up curbside in Marble Falls and, twice a week, four containers of approximately 200 yards of them were collected at the company yard at 2101 Commerce Street.
Illegal dumping is a big issue in the Highland Lakes and sometimes other discards, such as those allowed in bulk item programs or eligible for delivery to the Republic transfer station at 2422 Farm to Market Road 963 in Burnet, are left at containers intended for recycling at the Marble Falls yard.
Under the new contract, Republic will create an enclosed recycling center at its Commerce Street facility to be manned 8 a.m.-5 p.m. Monday-Friday.
Republic will be increasing city clean-up service, providing 12 complimentary 40-yard roll-off containers each year in addition to increasing to quarterly door-to-door bulk pickups, as opposed to the twice per year.
“We hope this will provide people with code compliance,” said Caleb Kraenzel, assistant city manager.
Batch also introduced one of the local service employees, Darrian Brown, who was named Driver of the Year. For nine years, the entire city of Marble Falls has received Brown's attention, with the only returns for missed pick-ups reported when he went on vacation, Batch said.
City Manager Mike Hodge told the council the Lower Colorado River Authority make a formal presentation of a check to the city at 11 a.m. July 12 at the wastewater plant on Yett Street.
“We will receive $58,000 from the LCRA's spring Cost Share program for our purple pipe project,” said Hodge. “This will allow installation of 8-inch pipe for 36 feet to the city limits. Annually, it will send about a million gallons of water (treated waste water) to Meadowlakes (for the irrigation of their golf course).
In May, Public Works crews began installation of purple pipe to the Greens Soccer Complex, a project supported by a $33, 176 Firm Water Cost Share Grant from LCRA. That project will supply the soccer fields with recycled water for irrigation and is estimated to save over 9.3 million gallons annually.
The council approved a request from Friends of the Marble Falls Library to partner in a limited remodel of the Marble Falls Public Library.
The project is not to exceed $45,000 and the council approved up to $5,000 toward the work to replace an air conditioner, upgrade the kitchenette, improve restrooms and grounds and repair lighting.
Through an interlocal agreement with Burnet County, the city provides the library building, janitorial services, maintenance, insurance, equipment and furnishings and books and materials. The county manages and oversees operations. However, the Friends organization pays for much of library operations and collections that exceed what the city and county are able to budget.
The council approved three land use items.
Members approved the final plat for the Panther Hollow Subdivision, 13.709 acres west of US 281 and south of the LaVentana Subdivision, and authorized Mayor John Packer to execute a Construction Improvement Agreement for the apartment project, Residences at Panther Hollow Apartment Homes. The action will allow application for building permits for the estimated 206 housing units of the project.
The estimated cost of public improvements yet to be completed on the project by the developer is about $901,529.
Following a public hearing, a replat of six lots into a single lot at 2100 West Ranch to Market Road 1431 was approved. The property is proposed for a remodel and expansion of the Nunnally, Freeman & Owens Healthy Smiles dental practice.
A public hearing was held also before approval of rezoning a collection of various small parcels of land now intended by the Marble Falls Economic Development Corporation for the hotel-conference center and adjacent parks and open space. The area has frontage on both Buena Vista Drive and Yett Street, and is intersected by South Main Street.
Krenzel told the council the rezoning had been reviewed and recommended by the Planning & Zoning Commission. By converting the properties from existing zoning to a single Main Street District (MSD) zone, he said, the property would conform with the city's Comprehensive Plan, meet the need for diversification in housing, and become compatible with surrounding zoning and existing land uses.
Following an executive session, the council approved a 4.1 percent increase in the city manager salary, bringing it to $160,000 annually.
